Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume II.djvu/301

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We discovered charms in the sequestered village of Wroughton, far removed from the contamina- ting communication of cities; and as we ascended the hill beyond it, that was to afford us the last view of the country through which we had lately passed, we felt an emotion of gratitude to the bountiful Being who had gifted us with that per- ception of the beautiful, (call it sensibility, or taste, or what you please) which enabled us to regard the lovely features of Nature's varied face, formed by his benevolent hand, with admiration and delight.

The country now began to change its appear- ance, and assume that wide coat of down, which (like the toga of a Roman, that covered all his person, except the head and feet) only leaves the northern and southern extremities of the country to diversified vegetation. 'The appearance of dis- tant barrows, studding the surface of tin's verdant plain, announced our approach to that august remain of Druidical times, Abury, the largest. tempie, perhaps, in the world. They were seen like little lumps, upon the horizontal line, breaking by their inequalities its lengthened level; and doubt- less affording in their primirval state (whilst then- chalky substance still continued, unobscured by vegetable accretion) a very picturesque appearance to the eye; ornamenting the widely-extended carpet , vol.. ii. i;

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